In known printers, a single print head is mounted on a frame for movement transversely across and for printing on a piece of sheet-type work material. Generally, the print head prints onto the work material while the work material is stationary or moving. Where the printer employs roll-fed work material, the printer usually includes a mandrel plate or other support for supporting a feeder roll of work material as well as a take-up roll for the work material. When using a printer configured in this manner, the work material is fed through the printer from the feeder roll to the take-up roll.
The above-described printers generally include a frame, that carries a platen for supporting the work material as it is being printed and a print head responsive to commands issued from a controller. At least one mandrel support plate is usually attached to the frame for supporting the ends of a feeder roll mandrel and a take-up roll mandrel.
One problem associated with this type of printer is that often the mandrel support plates may not be positioned parallel to one another. This problem may be caused during assembly or during moving of the printer from one location to another. The frame could also be slightly twisted, causing the mandrel support plates to be out of alignment with respect to one another. If the mandrel support plates are not aligned substantially parallel to one another, the feeder and take-up rolls mandrels positioned on the mandrel support plates may also be out of alignment relative to each other. If the feeder and take-up roll mandrels are not substantially parallel one to the other, the work material may not feed through the printer properly which can cause the performance of the printer and the quality of work produced thereby to be adversely affected.
Based on the foregoing, it is the general object of the present invention to provide a roll positioning mechanism for a printer that overcomes the above-described problems and drawbacks present in the prior art.